Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Boat 48-Hour Combo Ticket Lisbon

Restauradores, Avenida da Liberdade and Eduardo VII Park

Both bus routes start at Restauradores Square, where an obelisk recalls the restoration of Portuguese independence in 1640. From here the buses glide up Avenida da Liberdade, a tree-lined boulevard of the late nineteenth century with mosaic pavements, gardens and grand façades, to the great roundabout at its top.

The Belém route then passes Eduardo VII Park, which climbs a hillside above the city and offers one of the best views down the avenue to the river, plus a cool fern greenhouse. These first stops of the Lisbon hop-on hop-off bus are a good place to get your bearings; buses on each route leave Restauradores about every 40 minutes, so you can step off and catch the next one.

Estrela Basilica and garden

On the way west, the Belém route stops at Estrela, a calm residential area on one of Lisbon's hills. The Estrela Basilica, completed in 1790, has a gleaming white dome visible from much of the city, and its neoclassical and late-baroque interior is lined with pink, grey and yellow marble. Visitors can climb to the roof terrace for views over the rooftops.

Across the street lies the Estrela Garden, one of the prettiest public gardens in Lisbon, with ponds, a wrought-iron bandstand and shady lawns loved by local families. The famous tram 28 also stops here, and since your ticket includes the city's public trams, it is easy to continue towards the old town after your visit.

Belém: Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and the Coach Museum

Belém is the heart of the Belém route and the district most linked to Portugal's Age of Discoveries. Jerónimos Monastery, begun in 1501, is a masterpiece of Manueline architecture with stone carvings of ropes, shells and sea creatures, and Belém Tower guards the river nearby. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Between them, the Monument to the Discoveries rises from the quay like a ship's prow.

Belém also holds the National Coach Museum, one of the world's finest collections of royal carriages, and the MAAT museum by the river. Plan at least half a day here: monument tickets are not included, and queues at Jerónimos and the tower can be long in summer. The river boat also stops in Belém on some days, a scenic way back to the centre.

Graça, the National Pantheon and the Tile Museum

The Modern Lisbon route climbs east into Graça, a traditional hilltop quarter with two of the city's finest viewpoints, then stops by the National Pantheon. This white-domed church took nearly three centuries to complete, finally finished in 1966, and its terrace offers wide views over Alfama and the river. On Tuesdays and Saturdays the Feira da Ladra flea market fills the square beside it.

Further on, the National Tile Museum occupies the Madre de Deus convent, founded in 1509. It tells the story of azulejos, the painted tiles seen all over Portugal, from Moorish geometric designs to modern art, and its highlight is a long tiled panorama of Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake. The gilded convent church inside is a hidden treasure.

Parque das Nações and the Oceanarium

At the eastern end of the Modern Lisbon route, Parque das Nações was built on old industrial land for the 1998 World Expo and is now a modern riverside district of bold architecture, gardens and promenades. A cable car runs along the water, and the seventeen-kilometre bridge across the estuary stretches towards the horizon.

The main attraction is the Lisbon Oceanarium, one of the largest aquariums in Europe, built around a huge central tank that recreates the open ocean, with sharks, rays and shoals of fish, surrounded by habitats from four oceans. Allow two to three hours for the Oceanarium and a riverside walk. Entry is not included in the ticket.

The Tagus river boat from Terreiro do Paço

The third part of the combo is a hop-on hop-off boat on the Tagus River, leaving from the Sul e Sueste river terminal on Praça do Comércio. From the water you see Lisbon rising on its hills: São Jorge Castle, the cathedral, the colourful façades of Alfama, the 25 de Abril Bridge and Christ the King on the far bank, with an audio guide telling their stories.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the boat stops near Belém Tower, so you can combine it with the bus; on the other days it makes a round trip without the Belém stop. There are usually a few departures a day from late morning to late afternoon, and the booking confirmation gives the current timetable.